


Returning Home to Family

by FujiwaraJunko



Category: One Piece
Genre: Afterlife, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Family, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Post-Canon, Post-Canon Fix-It, Reincarnation, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:34:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28403319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FujiwaraJunko/pseuds/FujiwaraJunko
Summary: Marco has lived for a long time, but while he has made new friends, he never accepted another family into his life. His family was long gone, yet he still longs to return home to them. But how does one return to a home that no longer exists?
Comments: 22
Kudos: 96





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: I don't own One Piece!

Marco has lived for a long time. He's lived through the Great Pirate Age. He’s lived long enough to see the second Pirate King claim his throne. He’s lived long enough to see the World Government fall and rise again, renewed. He’s lived long enough to see each new era rise to take over the previous era. They seek the treasure left behind by the Pirate Kings before them, and the cycle repeats endlessly.

Marco has long since departed from the island of Sphinx, now that the threat of Weevil no longer exists. Staying with them would only attract unwanted problems, like the Marines or Bounty Hunters, and the list would only grow if anybody were to find out about his immortality. He still stops by discreetly every once in a while, checking from a distance that they are well and safe, and taking care of any threats before they even set foot on the island. He wanders around aimlessly, without anywhere to go nor anywhere to return to.

He’s met friends and acquaintances wherever he went, but he never stayed with them for long. He would always outlive them, and the pain was easier to deal with if he wasn’t there to see them go. The pain of losing people he cared about was agonising, and worse still if he had been there to see it. He had already gone through that before. He never wanted to go through it again. Though he remained open to friends, having learnt a long time ago that it’s impossible for one person to do everything alone, he never accepted another family into his life.

* * *

“Hey, Shanks! Tell us a bedtime story!” A familiar voice made Marco duck into a dark alley to remain unseen. He peered into the house where the voice came from, noticing three familiar little boys sitting in bed.

“Sure, Anchor! What would you like to hear?”

“I don’t know! Shishishi!” Little Luffy grinned carefreely. “Ace, Sabo, why don’t you guys choose instead?” Interestingly enough, no matter how many times he’s seen the second Pirate King’s reincarnation, Ace and Sabo were always there by his side, whether they were born as blood brothers or met as sworn brothers.

Back then, whenever Ace talked about his younger brother and sometimes about his third ‘dead’ brother, he always claimed that their bond was so strong that it would never be broken no matter what. Marco wished he could tell Ace that it was true, that their bond remained strong and unbroken even against life and death. Even though there had been times when Luffy had been reborn as the older brother (it was funny to see the older brother being looked after by his younger brothers instead of the other way round) or even times when one was born much later than the others, but no matter their age differences, the three brothers always managed to seek each other out.

If only he could say the same for his family too, Marco thought bitterly. He had spotted the reincarnations of his family before, but somehow, they have never once managed to meet one another. Even when Haruta and Thatch had lived on the same island once, they always passed each other by, never destined to meet.

“I don’t know, Lu. Why don’t we let Ace choose instead then?” Little Sabo suggested with a knowing smirk. “I bet I know what story he would choose.” Little Ace just scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“Of course you do. I always choose the same story. After all, it’s my favourite.” The reincarnated Shanks only laughed.

“Alright, alright. The Wandering Phoenix it is then.” He sat down on a chair next to the large bed the children shared, book in hand. “The Mythical Phoenix is often described as a beautiful bird, a sight to behold. It is…” Marco smiled fondly as Luffy fell asleep almost right after the story began, and walked away silently.

* * *

It's been so long, so long that there are days when he wakes up telling himself that his name is Marco, and he is the former First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, led formerly by the late Edward Newgate, better known fearfully as Whitebeard to the world and fondly as Oyaji to his sons.

He recalls all of his memories with his family, thinking of not just his fondest moments, but even his saddest moments as well. He would never allow himself to forget them, even in the slightest. Never, ever. No matter how much time has passed, he will always remember his family.

* * *

_“Hey, Marco! You forgot to eat again, didn’t you? How many times do I have to tell you-” Marco cut him off with an exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes at the chef._

_“You’re making a fuss for nothing, Thatch. You know I’ll be fine even without eating, yoi.”_

_“No, I don’t care if you’re fine even without eating! You have to eat your meals properly,” Thatch cut him off as soon as he opened his mouth to protest. “and don’t argue with me on this! Eat! Now!”_

* * *

_“Marco, you know Oyaji won’t be happy to know you were holed up in your room doing paperwork for 3 days straight. Again.”_

_“And I suppose you aren’t happy about it either, yoi?” Curiel huffed._

_“Damn right I’m not.”_

_“All of us hate it, and I know that you know we’ll get upset about it, but you do it anyway.” Vista said disapprovingly._

_“It doesn’t matter, yoi. I’m fine, and I get the work done, yoi. I don’t see a problem, yoi.”_

_“The problem, is that you haven’t slept in 3 days.” Fossa snapped, snatching the stack of papers from Marco’s hands. “Now, I’ll go deliver these papers to Oyaji, so you go and get some sleep.”_

_“I-”_

_“Oh, and once you’re properly rested, we’ll send Thatch over to make sure you eat. End of discussion. Now sleep.” Kingdew began pushing him back into his room, and Marco couldn’t help but smile._

_“Alright, alright, yoi. I’m going to sleep, yoi. Wake me up in an hour, yoi.”_

_“Sure, sure. Go to sleep now.” Marco chuckled as he shut his room door behind him, knowing full well that his brothers wouldn’t wake him up despite agreeing to do so._

* * *

_“THATCH!”_

_“Eep! Marco, save me!” Thatch stumbled out on to the deck and instantly dove behind the Phoenix. Seconds later, Izo stormed out after him._

_“Where’s Thatch?” He asked, ignoring the fingers that pointed towards the hiding chef as his eyes found the answer on their own._

_“Marco, do something!” Thatch pleaded as Izo stormed up to them._

_“Don’t use me as a shield, yoi.” Marco said lazily before sighing and turning to Izo. “So, what did Thatch do this time, yoi?”_

_“He stole my lipstick for a prank!” Izo shot a glare to Thatch, who squeaked and attempted to hide behind Marco even more._

_“Thatch, you know Izo doesn’t take lightly to people messing with his clothes and makeup, yoi. And what’s this about a prank, yoi?”_

_“If I promise not to target you, will you save me?” Thatch asked timidly. Marco only grinned._

_“Nope.” Flaming wings replaced his arms and brought him up into the sky with one strong flap, exposing the cowering chef. “You brought this on yourself, yoi!”_

_“Noooo, come back, Marco! Don’t leave me!” Thatch dramatically reached his arms up towards Marco, who only laughed._

_“Good luck, Thatch!” He called out as Thatch turned to Izo with the most apologetic smile he could muster._

_“Um… I’m sorry?”_

_“As if your apology will fix my ruined lipstick!” Izo growled as Thatch dodged a swipe from him, dashing off with a scream._

_“Ace, save me! Marco has abandoned me!”_

* * *

_“And what happened this time, yoi?” Ace shuffled his feet nervously._

_“Uh, it was Haruta’s idea!” Beside him, Haruta yelped._

_“Hey, don’t pin this on me! I only suggested we sneak something into Blamenco’s stew! You’re the one who came up with hot sauce!”_

_“Yeah, but you were the one who said to sneak it into Blenheim’s stew too!”_

_“I’ll tell Rakuyo that you were the one who hid his weapon two days ago!”_

_“Tell him, and I’ll tell Jiru who placed those water balloons in front of his room!” Haruta gave an exasperated gasp._

_“You wouldn’t dare!”_

_“Try me, shortstuff.”_

_“Don’t make me sell you out to Atmos about that horrible drawing of a buffalo you stuck onto his back yesterday, you walking bonfire!” Marco just sighed at the bickering pair._

_“You two are on mess hall cleaning duty for the week, yoi.” He could only shake his head with a groan, thinking of the paperwork waiting for him in his room, as he walked away from the pair, listening to them grumbling and complaining._

* * *

_“Oyaji, can’t you watch out for your health more, yoi? You’re going to die sooner or later at this rate, yoi.” Marco complained worriedly as he perched on Whitebeard’s shoulder in hybrid form, watching as Whitebeard took another gulp out of the sake bottle in his hand, watching his sons on the deck with an affectionate smile._

_“Marco, my son, why do you fear Death so much?” He questioned, the smile never leaving his face. “In the end, all living things will die. I am no different.”_

_“That doesn’t mean you can’t stay longer, yoi.” Marco sulked at the truth in Whitebeard’s words._

_“Gurarara, I’m not immortal, Marco. I will live my life to the fullest and die on the ocean. And when I am reborn, I will return to the ocean again, for I am a child of the sea, just like everyone else.”_

_“But what about those you leave behind afterwards, yoi? What will become of us after you die, yoi?”_

_“Once I die, there’ll be nothing left of me. There will not be a reason for you to remain tied down by my will. All of you are free to choose your own paths and live as you like. Whether you want to stay or leave, it doesn’t matter. No matter what happens, you’ll always be my sons and I love you all the same.” He said fondly._

_“But…”_

_“Gurarara, don’t look so down, Marco. The mark you wear so proudly on your back is the proof of that you accept me as your father, and this crew as your family. As long as you have that mark, know that you will always have us, your family, at your side.”_

* * *

With the weight of the passing years, at times when he felt so alone and felt himself going mad from all his severe pent-up frustration and his endless solitude, the tattoo on his chest served as the only thing which soothed his crumbling heart and calmed him down. Even when the mark was burned, cut off, or torn to shreds, it never ceased to exist. Each time his body regenerated, the mark came back with it.

Marco bit his lips, choking back a sob as he reached a hand up to grip at the mark on his chest. His heart ached terribly, and he longed for nothing more than to return home to his family.

But how does one return to a home that no longer exists?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still struggling with the tags... >.<  
> Anyway, I've read stories where Marco's devil fruit makes him immortal, which sounds like an interesting idea to write about, so I decided to write about it! Enjoy and reviews are always welcomed!


	2. The New Whitebeard Pirates

Marco hears several news as he travels aimlessly without a destination. He hears of upstarting new pirates, some seeking power, some seeking riches, and others, freedom. Some set out to sea, not as pirates, seeking the thrill of an unknown adventure, while some wanted to experience for themselves the world they never knew.

Marco paid them no mind. It wasn’t any of his business what they were up to. He was just keeping up with the news; it was always good to be informed. Or perhaps, it could’ve just been a habit from back when he was the First Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. Who knows?

* * *

One day, as he was walking around a random village, he received a piece of interesting news of a recent pirate crew. It all started with one pirate, who had set sail from an island near two graves of some legendary pirates who had perished in a war against the Marines long ago. As soon as he was on the seas, he created uproars all around the world, taking down bigshots and claiming islands being terrorised as his turf. Unsurprisingly, it did not take long for him to make a name for himself.

The news described him as an odd pirate, for he had no interest in treasure nor power. He did not have a crew, and he is not a captain. Instead, his crew is his family, and he is known as their father rather than their captain.

They roam the seas, taking in anybody who seeks a family and a place to belong, regardless of their species or their pasts. They sail on a large ship with a whale head, and they have since gathered enough members to require 16 divisions, each with a Commander to take charge of the division.

And they are known as the Whitebeard Pirates, led by one Edward Newgate, commonly known to the world as Whitebeard.

Marco swallowed thickly. He had expected it. People die, and then as time passed, they are reborn again into this world, ready for a fresh new start without any trace of the past they lived through. They would never be the family he sought hopelessly for, a family from centuries ago.

And yet he just had to see them. His family, who have never met one another despite being reincarnated so many times, was finally gathered again. Was it just a coincidence? A cruel joke being played on him by Fate, after keeping his family separate for so long? He didn’t know, and he didn’t care. All he wanted was just to catch even a glimpse of his family together again. It doesn’t matter if he was part of them or not. He just wanted to see them again.

* * *

Marco felt his breath hitch when the ship came into sight. It was so painfully similar to the ship in his memories, down to the tiniest details. From his bird’s eye view, he could see the numerous crew members scattered all over the deck, each one looking just as he remembered them. And the captain, the unusually large man, was sitting in his throne out on the deck, watching his children with that same familiar fond smile.

It was all so overwhelming, that Marco hadn't even noticed when he landed on the deck. Strangely enough, none of the crew members paid him any mind other than a brief glance, as if it was normal to have a man with flaming blue wings land on your ship’s deck like he belonged there. Actually, did he even fly in, or did he just drop from the sky? He couldn’t quite remember – he had been too distracted by the familiar ship also named the Moby Dick – but either way, his entrance should’ve garnered some attention, which makes the crew’s indifferent reaction strange. He shrugged it off, figuring they were just relaxed because of their unwavering faith that nothing would happen to them as long as they are surrounded by their family.

 _So much like we were before, yoi_ , Marco couldn’t help the small smile that crept onto his face, shaking his head before facing the captain.

“Hello, I apologise for just dropping in on you like that, yoi. I was just curious about the new pirate crew that have been in every newspaper ever since they were formed, yoi.”

“Gurararara, and what do you think?” Marco held back the tears that threatened to form at the sound of a familiar laughter he hadn’t heard for centuries.

“It’s interesting, honestly, yoi. I’m really sorry for disturbing you just for the sake of curiosity, yoi. If you don’t mind, I’ll take my leave now, yoi.”

“Wait.” The large man looked at him with a twinkle in his eyes.

 _Oh no. I know that look, yoi._ Marco thought, as slight panic and despair crawled up on him. Before he could spread his wings and fly far away from here, Edward Newgate rose to his full height and reached out a hand to him.

“Join my crew and become my son.”

* * *

_“So many have left.” Whitebeard commented as he stared at the near-empty ship before him. “Some wanted to form their own crew and become subordinate crews. Some found new lives and new families on the islands we’ve been to.” He looked down to the young boy who stood at his side. “Marco.” Marco looked curiously up at him. “Are you not going with them?”_

_“Why would I, yoi?” Marco huffed, crossing his arms. “You’re my family, Oyaji. I’m staying by your side, yoi.”_

_“Gurarara, do as you like, cheeky brat.” Marco grinned at him._

_“Of course I will, yoi!” Whitebeard laughed again before looking out towards the sea._

_“As we continue to travel, we will surely meet more people who will become brothers. I will need someone who will stand by my side and be my voice of reason, as well as the pillar of support for the family. Will you be willing to take up that role, Marco?”_

_“Huh? Are you sure about that, Oyaji? I’m not even 20 yet, yoi! And besides, I’m just an apprentice, yoi.”_

_“But you’re my son regardless. And your age doesn’t matter, son. I’m asking because I think you are mature and responsible enough for the role. Of course, it does not change anything if you refuse. I will not think lesser of you, neither will I reject you for it. I just think that you are fitting as the first piece of this currently incomplete family. But I want you to make the choice based on what you want, and not because of me.”_

_“I…” Marco shuffled his feet as he thought for a long while, before looking up to Whitebeard with a smile. “I accept, Oyaji!” Whitebeard gave such a jubilant laughter at his reply that Marco just knew that he would never regret his choice._

* * *

Marco awoke to the brightening blue sky above him. The Blue Hour, he recognised. It took him only a second to remember where he was and why he was there. Groaning as he brought a hand up to cover his eyes, he was suddenly aware of the wetness on his face. He sat up in mild alarm, staring at his hand, which now had a wet spot.

 _Why am I…?_ The answer hit him soon enough and he relaxed. _Ah_ , he mused to himself, _it’s because I had that dream, yoi._ That dream, of that fateful day when the crew of the Whitebeard Pirates became his family as he knew it. He smiled at the memory. _I haven’t thought of it in a while, yoi. How nostalgic, yoi._ He chuckled as he stretched.

It was amazing, the way Fate worked, Marco thought to himself, that even without their past life memories, the crew still managed to get together with almost the same crew members on a ship that is the exact replica of the Moby Dick. Being on the ship like this made him feel at home, even though he knew it wasn’t really **_home_** _,_ but it was close enough. It’s just like how being with everyone like this lit a tiny spark of hope in him, that dared to dream of having his family by his side again.

_Even though they’re not my family, yoi._

When this Whitebeard asked him to join the crew and become his son, he found himself unable to refuse, and the crew had instantly accepted him as one of their own. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to get too close to them, keeping them at a distance, pushing them away when they tried to get close. Despite that, they took to him easily, treating him as though he had always been there even though he had only joined just 3 days prior. He had to constantly remind himself that this wasn’t his family, no matter how much they looked and acted like it. His family was long gone, and nothing was ever going to bring them back again. He felt a painful jab in his heart and reached up to grip at his shirt where the mark on his chest is.

When he first arrived, he had made sure to button up his shirt in order to conceal the tattoo on his chest, despite absolutely despising the idea of hiding it. Of course, he had done the same back when he had been in Sphinx, but even then, he hadn’t concealed it completely. He had left just the top half of it displayed, not enough to give away his identity instantly, but enough to be recognised subtly at a closer glance.

But this was different. The crew’s Jolly Roger was exactly the same as he remembered it and many of the members have the same tattoo he remembered them having. It would make no sense for a stranger to appear out of the blue bearing their mark. It could cause some unwanted problems, and he really didn’t want to get on his family’s bad side, reincarnations or not.

And so, he had forced himself to swallow his revulsion as he buttoned his shirt up all the way, leaving only the collar unbuttoned, and fully concealed the mark he bore so proudly on his chest for centuries.

Marco swallowed the lump in his throat, feeling the sting in his eyes. His grip on his wrinkled shirt tightened so much that his knuckles turned white. What was he thinking? How could he have allowed such weakness to come over him, clouding his sense of judgement? Did he truly think that he could just join the crew and everything would be fine? That he would have his family back again and they could sail around the world together like before?

It was foolish after all, to dare hope that he could have his family back again, Marco couldn't help the bitterness simmering in him as he sailed alongside crewmates so familiar, yet so foreign. They were all just as he remembered, even their mannerisms and personality, but he was the only one who remembered them. This crew didn’t know him, just the way he knew it would be. He had known it was hopeless the moment his family left this earth. Once they died, nothing was left of them. Even if they were reborn with the same looks and personality, they would never be the same again. His family have been gone for centuries, and he will never have them back again.

 ** _“Of course we miss Ti-aniki.”_** Jinbe’s words struck a chord deep within him, when they were discussing the feelings of a crew who had lost their captain. **_“It’s ok to miss him, but we can’t wallow in the past forever. What’s gone is forever lost. All we can do, as the Living, is to go on living, remembering all that we have lost, but not forgetting what we still have left.”_**

 _But why?_ He couldn’t help but think, as he curled up on himself, biting back his sobs. Even though he already knew… Even though he had known for so long…

 _Why?_ A whimper escaped his lips as he stifled yet another sob.

Why can’t he just let them go? Why is he still holding on, even when it hurts him so much?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing much to say, so enjoy, and reviews are always welcomed!


	3. Familiarity

Marco didn’t know how long he had been in the crow nest. All he knew was that by the time he had calmed down enough to leave, the sun was already shining brightly overhead.

“Oh, hey, morning, Marco! Slept well?” Vista asked him cheerfully as soon as he left the crow nest. Marco smiled softly.

“Yeah, I did, yoi. Thanks for asking, yoi.”

“Are you sure?” Vista narrowed his eyes at him. “Your eyes seem puffy... Did you actually sleep at all? Because if you didn’t, I’m going to be very upset. I heard that lack of sleep can cause swollen eyes.”

“I did, yoi.” Marco assured him, internally cursing the ever so observant swordsman for noticing. “Are my eyes that swollen, yoi? Hm… Maybe it was the sun, yoi.”

“Unhealthy diet causes swollen eyes too, you know. I didn’t see you at breakfast.” Curiel said, his tone accusatory as he walked over. Marco just chuckled.

“I just wasn’t hungry, yoi. Don’t worry, I’ll be there at lunch, yoi.” The pair nodded in satisfaction.

“Good, because if you’re not there, we’ll send Thatch over to make sure you eat. End of discussion.”

“Don’t worry, yoi.” His voice was soft as he managed a smile at them. “I’ll be there, yoi.” No sooner had the pair left than Haruta walked over to him.

“Hi, Marco!” He greeted cheerfully, Marco nodding back in greeting. “I’m just curious about something. You’ve been sleeping in the crow nest since you came. Sure, you have your own locker in your division’s locker room and you actually use it even though you don’t have a lot of belongings – which reminds me, Izo’s been saying that he’s bringing you shopping at the next island we stop at, don’t tell him I told you – but why don’t you sleep with the others in your division?” Marco just gave an awkward chuckle, not knowing how to tell Haruta that it just felt weird to be bunking with the members of the first division when he had been their commander in their past life with his own separate room. (Also, Izo’s bringing him shopping? He shuddered to think of the clothes Izo will no doubt try to buy for him.)

“It just feels a little awkward, yoi.” And of course, the keen-eyed little swordsman clearly did not buy it and narrowed his eyes at him.

“Is it because you’re uncomfortable sharing a room with others? I mean, I guess I would be too, if I suddenly had to sleep with the rest of my division. Maybe you can bring it up to Oyaji, he might be able to do something about it, like getting you your own room or something.”

“No, it’s alright, thanks for your concern, yoi.” Marco quickly dismissed the suggestion. “I would hate to trouble you, and I have no problem with sleeping in the crow nest, yoi.” Because at least in the crow nest, he could have the privacy he was so used to as a former First Division Commander with his own room, and he could easily avoid the members who trigger so many memories in him of who they were in their past lives. “And besides, it would be unfair for me to be the only one with my own room, yoi.” Haruta just shrugged nonchalantly.

“All the commanders have their own rooms.” Marco flinched instinctively, silently cursing himself for the reaction.

“Yes, but I’m not a commander, yoi.” He pointed out, trying to hide his discomfort. Haruta pursed his lips, as if he wanted to say something, but instead decided against it, shaking his head.

“Lunch is ready. Eat with us?”

“Sure, yoi.” Marco agreed readily, grateful for the change in topic.

* * *

“Hey, Marco!” As soon as Marco entered the mess hall, a voice yelled at him, and he looked up only to see Thatch stomping up to him with a frown. “You weren’t at breakfast today! Care to explain that?” Haruta quickly slipped away, not wanting to be involved and being more focused on getting food. “You know you have to eat your meals properly! And you don’t get to argue on this with me, because I swear, if you do, I’m gonna-” Marco cut him off with a small smile.

“I won’t, yoi. I’m sorry for skipping breakfast but I just didn’t feel up to it, yoi. That’s why I came for lunch instead, yoi.” Thatch huffed.

“Fine. I’ll accept that.” He sighed, uncrossing his arms. “I’m just happy you’re eating at least.”

“Would be a waste of good food if I didn’t eat it, right, yoi?” Marco chuckled softly. “What about you, yoi? Have you eaten, yoi?”

“I will once I make sure everyone is eating well.”

“Just don’t forget to eat, yoi.” Thatch laughed.

“You’re the last person I want to hear that from.” He said with a smirk before walking away, oblivious to Marco raising his eyebrows at him.

* * *

That night, Marco couldn’t help but replay the events of that day as he lay up in the crow nest, staring at the night sky. It was something he’s been doing since he joined the crew. He would compare the reincarnations of his family to the family in his memories, finding the similarities between them. Their similarities reminded him so much of **home** , and he took comfort in it, even though he had to remind himself that this new crew isn’t actually his family every so often. It was also a way for him to remember the family he had sworn never to forget as he went through every little memory, matching words and moments to conversations and incidents of that day. He shifted slightly into a more comfortable position and closed his eyes in reminiscence, a fond smile dancing on his lips.

* * *

_“Oyaji.” Marco breathed out as he took in the sight of the large old man with the signature curved moustache, sitting at the edge of a cliff, enjoying the gentle sea breeze. A dog, tiny in comparison to the man, sat at his side. “Stephan.” Despite the dog’s old age, its ears picked up on the whisper and perked up in response. It was up on its feet in an instant, hoping around and barking up at the tree where Marco had landed and was perched on in Phoenix form._

_“Stephan.” The man spoke, his voice a low rumble, barely glancing back. “Come back over here. You’re too old to be chasing some random bird.” The words were like knives stabbing mercilessly into his heart. He had no doubt the man was Whitebeard, reborn again just as he said he would be. But why would Oyaji call him ‘some random bird’? Why isn’t Oyaji fondly calling him his son, like he always did? Why isn’t Oyaji welcoming him with open arms, like he always dreamed Oyaji would once they were reunited? Could it be that Oyaji doesn’t know who he is?_

_“Stephan.” The gruff voice called out again as Whitebeard finally turned around. “Who is that? You better not be bothering that stranger.” Marco could feel the tears rapidly forming in his eyes. When did he get down from the tree? When did he switch back to his human form? None of it mattered. All that mattered was Oyaji, sitting right before him, calling him ‘some random bird’ and ‘that stranger’. It was just too much._

_Choking back a sob, Marco morphed into his Phoenix form and took to the skies, tears trailing behind him, glittering in the sunlight. The bitter reality hit him hard. For so long, ever since his family died, all he could think about was seeing his father and brothers being reborn and becoming a family again. It was the only thing holding him together and preventing him from falling apart into pieces, and with just those few words in that short encounter, it snapped._

_Marco soon found himself flying over a small, deserted island. When did he reach the island? How fast had he been flying? How far did he fly? He didn’t bother with an answer. The encounter felt like it happened a long time ago, while simultaneously feeling like it just happened seconds ago. He crashed into the ground, sobbing and gasping for breath, tears flowing freely down his face._

**_“No matter what happens, you’ll always be my sons and I love you all the same.”_ **

_Oyaji didn’t remember him. He was just_ ‘some random bird’ _. He was just_ ‘that stranger’ _._

**_“As long as you have that mark, know that you will always have us, your family, at your side.”_ **

_The mark on his chest felt like it was on fire. Where is his family? Why are they not by his side?_

_Screams of pure anguish tore from his throat as he clawed at the mark on his chest hysterically. He felt numb. It was like the world around him had come into a standstill, a deafening void rapidly consuming him. It felt like chaos. It felt like silence. It felt like he was being devoured whole. It felt like he was being eaten from the inside out, bit by bit. It felt like it lasted for an eternity, neverending, and he was losing himself with every passing second._

* * *

_When Marco snapped back to his senses, he could see nothing but blue. Since when did it become morning? A splitting headache made itself known as he sat up, but it was gone in an instant as his powers activated. He surveyed his surroundings, and all around him was red. There was what seemed like tattered remains of skin and lumps of flesh among the gigantic puddle of blood he was sitting in. His memory came back to him in broken fragments, hazy and unclear. The only thing that he could remember vividly was that he had never felt so utterly **alone** , than he ever did in that moment. _

_Panic surged through him suddenly as he frantically placed a hand to his chest, feeling his heart stop. His tattoo. He had ripped his tattoo to shreds. The mark that yelled to the world that he was part of the Whitebeard Pirates. The mark that served as the undeniable proof that he was part of the family._

_He had ripped it up with his own hands._

_He swallowed, and apprehensively forced himself to look down. It was still there, he released a breath he didn’t realise he was holding. The mark, the familiar tattoo consisting of a cross with an upward crescent, just as he remembered it. His shoulders slacked as relief washed over him. His mark was still there. It had not been erased. His family was still with him after all._

_He would not let it be erased, he thought firmly to himself as he stood up. (He was slightly thankful that at least his bottom half had remained relatively intact throughout the ordeal so he wouldn’t have to wander around naked.) Even if his family no longer remembered him, as long as he remembered them, they would live on within him. It would never be the same as having them being there physically, but it’ll do._ For now, yoi _, he thought as he gently ran his hand across the tattoo._

As long as this mark never fades.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back with a new chapter! Hope this explains how or why Marco knew that his family's reincarnations don't retain their memories from their past lives! And I hope Marco's losing himself scene wasn't too confusing! I was trying to show how it felt like from his point of view, how it was just a blur, chaos and stillness mixed together.  
> Anyways, enjoy, and reviews are always welcomed!


	4. Not His Family

Thatch. The brother who was betrayed by someone he trusted wholeheartedly. The brother who was taken from them way too soon. Even though he was the first to go, each of Marco's memories of him are just as vivid as his memories of the rest of his crew, clear as day.

 _He hadn't changed in the slightest, yoi_ , Marco mused, as he noticed the chef sneaking around the ship, likely setting up another one of his many daily pranks again. He chuckled to himself as he tried to guess who would be Thatch’s unsuspecting victim this time, and the answer was soon revealed when Kingdew emerged from the hallway Thatch had been sneaking around, a giant flower stuck onto his back. The crew wordlessly pointed towards where they last saw Thatch, and Stoic Kingdew didn’t say anything as he stomped away below deck, following their directions.

Marco doesn't join in, only watching their antics from the side with a fond smile, looking as though he was an outsider. And in a way, he really is one. After all, this isn’t his family. But as he listened to all the screams and laughter that followed Thatch's pranks, he felt relaxed, and for a while, allowed himself to indulge in the illusion that he was at home again, with his family.

"Thatch, come back here!" Izo's furious voice yelled out, and Thatch ran out onto the deck, holding what was undoubtedly one of Izo's Obis.

"Marco, save me!" He squeaked as he ducked behind Marco just as the furious crossdresser stormed onto the deck.

"Where's Thatch?" He snapped to the crew, before his eyes, scanning the deck, found the answer by themselves. He approached Marco with a scowl.

"Come out from behind Marco and face me properly, Thatch!"

"Marco, do something!" Thatch begged, holding Marco in front of him.

"Don't use me as a shield, yoi." Marco said lazily, but made no attempts to interfere. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he reminded himself not to act so casually with them, that no matter how much they seem like it, this crew isn't his family. They don't know him, and he doesn't know them, just the way it should be. "Why don't you just return him his Obi and apologise to him, yoi?" Of course, if they had been his family, he never would've said those words. Izo absolutely hated anyone messing with his makeup and clothes, and would never forgive someone who did, even with an apology. Several times, Thatch had to appease him with food, and when that didn’t work, he just left it up to time to work its magic. Marco was eventually snapped out of his thoughts when he realised that everybody was staring at him in disbelief. "What, yoi?" He raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Nothing, we just thought for sure that you'd- Nevermind." Izo began before seemingly thinking better of it and just snatching his Obi out of Thatch's hand, returning below deck. Behind him, Thatch sulkily slinked away to somewhere else, muttering something along the lines of "I can’t believe it didn’t work", whatever that meant. At Marco’s questioning gaze, everyone on deck averted their gazes and quickly went back to whatever they were doing before. Marco simply shrugged and walked away, but he didn't miss the looks of confusion, disappointment and disbelief the crew shot him as he left.

* * *

"Say, Marco, I wanted to ask you something for a while now." Marco flinched when he heard the voice of Ace calling out to him. He had been sitting by himself near the back of the deck, where Ace had sat once before he joined the crew. From where he sat, he was away from the rest of the crew gathered on the deck, but he could still hear them clearly. It made him think of his family, and he had been in mid-reminisce when Ace approached him.

“Sure, yoi. What is it, yoi?” Marco looked up as Ace stopped in front of him.

“I’m just curious, but why don't you call him Oyaji too?” If the rest of the crew had noticed the way Marco avoided addressing their captain in any way, they hadn't spoken up. But of course, Ace in his very own Ace-like manner didn't even think twice about it.

"I can't, yoi." Marco admitted softly to the Second Division Commander. He's not lying. He really couldn't call this Whitebeard 'Oyaji' when he's not really **his** **Oyaji**. And Edward Newgate, or Whitebeard, or any other name just sounds awkward and downright wrong to him, having called him Oyaji for so long.

"Sure, you can." Ace continued, as if he hadn't noticed Marco's inner turmoil. "You're a part of this crew now, and that means you're his son, like it or not. I'll bet Oyaji will love for you to call him Oyaji too."

"I can't, yoi." Marco repeated with a sigh, his shoulder slumping in defeat. "I just can't, yoi. And what about you, yoi?" He asked, putting on a smile. He won’t admit it, but he’s sure the crew has probably already noticed anyway, that he doesn't really address them by name either. It’s for the same reason he can’t bring himself to call Whitebeard Oyaji. Because this might be his crew, but they’re not **his family**.

"What do you mean, what about me?” Ace frowned. “And I wanted to ask about this too, but why don’t you ever call us by name? I have a name, you know, and it's Ace."

"I know that, yoi." Marco gave a humorless chuckle. Of course he knows. He's known for a long time. Ah, but this isn't **his** **Ace**. This is a new Ace, without any memories of his past life. "And what I mean is, why do you call him your father, yoi?" Ace gave a thoughtful hum, before he gave Marco such a wide grin that it made Marco feel his own jaw aching.

"Because he calls us his sons!" He was sure he forgot how to breathe for a moment when Ace spoke those words. "We're just a bunch of outcasts hated by the world. So it makes us happy. It's just a word, but it makes us happy!" Those exact same words. Word for word. It took all of Marco's self-control, trained carefully over the years, to repress any reaction that may come off as weird and stifle the hope that bubbled up within him of having his family again. Instead, he just drew a shuddering breath and shot Ace a melancholic (and hopefully unnoticeably shaky) smile.

"I see, yoi. That's a wonderful reason, yoi."

* * *

Marco found himself sitting on the whale figurehead of the Moby Dick afterwards, staring out at the sea. The events from earlier replayed in his head, and when compared with the family in his memories, he found too much similarity to just simply brush it off. For a moment, he had the absurd thought that maybe his family hadn’t forgotten him after all. Maybe they really are his family.

But that’s impossible, Marco instantly argued back with himself. They can’t possibly be his family. His family had died centuries ago. There was no way this crew remembered him, or they would’ve said so by now. And not to mention his encounter with Whitebeard when he was first reborn… Marco shook his head. Yes, he’s certain of it. People don’t remember their past life after being reborn. As much as he wished so desperately for it, this crew is not his family.

“Marco, is something bothering you?” He jumped slightly as Whitebeard walked up to his side and sat down beside him.

“It’s nothing, yoi.” He swallowed as he turned to look at him. “What brings you here, yoi?”

“Gurarara, I just like to watch the sea once in a while.” Whitebeard spoke with a soft smile on his face as he gazed out at the sea. “For I, too, am a child of the sea, just like everyone else.” Marco turned his eyes back towards the sea, smiling fondly at the familiar phrase.

“I see, yoi.” Silence enveloped them for a while before he spoke again. “Can I ask, why did you ask me to join your crew, yoi?” He kept his gaze fixed on the sea as the sea breeze tussled his hair lightly. “I am powerless and can’t help you much in combat, yoi. I don’t have a Devil Fruit, nor am I proficient in any weapons, yoi.” Whitebeard looked to him with a twinkle in his eyes.

“You claim not to have a Devil Fruit, but I have noticed the way you avoid seastones during our recent battles, son. When we docked at that summer island a while back too, you stayed on the ship instead of joining the others in the sea.” He grinned as Marco looked to him in surprise. “I’m sure you have a Devil Fruit ability, son, but you surely have your reasons for hiding it from us, so I won’t pry. And even though you may not be proficient in any weapons, I’ve noticed that you are quite proficient in Hand-to-Hand combat, so I don’t believe you are completely powerless, son.”

“Thanks, but Hand-to-Hand combat isn’t very helpful when there are guns and swords involved, yoi.” Marco pointed out. He had made sure to stay clear of the frontlines in battle and skilfully dodged every attack directed at him so they would not learn of his Devil Fruit. It took him a while to get used to not activating his devil fruit, but he had managed somehow. “And you haven’t answered my question, yoi. Even if I do have a Devil Fruit, the most I am useful for outside of combat is my medical skills, but you already have plenty of capable doctors on your crew, yoi. You don’t need someone like me, yoi.”

“You don’t have to be useful to prove that you are worthy of being my son.” Whitebeard spoke with a disapproving frown at Marco’s words. “That is solely up to me to decide, and I have decided that you are my son, so **you are my son**. That’s all there is to it.”

“You know nothing about me, yoi. How could you just ask me to join your crew and become your son despite that, yoi?” The old man only laughed.

“Gurarara! You looked like you needed a family, that’s all.” He said, patting Marco’s shoulders affectionately.

 _No_ , Marco didn’t voice his bitter thoughts. _I don’t need a family, yoi. What I need is **my** family, yoi._

* * *

"The First Division Commander?" Marco froze. Ace nodded.

"Yeah. We've never had one since the crew was formed, and Oyaji's been complaining about needing someone to share the workload with. Not to mention all that paperwork piling up. You're smart and responsible, and I'm sure everyone would agree you're best fitted for the job." Marco felt the pull in his heart, but he forced the longing down and shook his head.

"Shouldn't that be left to someone more trustworthy, yoi? Like someone who's been in the crew longer, yoi? I just joined not long ago, yoi!" He wasn't sure why he was protesting this much when it would finally make things seem normal again. Just like it was before.

 _They're not my family_ , the usual reminder following the thought came to mind dutifully and almost instantaneously, having been brought up way too many times since he joined this crew.

"Doesn't matter." Ace gave a casual shrug. "I joined not long before you did too, but you met me as the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, didn't you? And besides,” Ace’s gaze darkened, “being in the crew for a long time doesn’t mean you’re more trustworthy than the others.” Marco didn’t even have time to wonder what exactly could’ve brought such a dark look to Ace’s eyes as he spoke those words before the freckled teen blinked, and then he relaxed, the fire in his eyes and the tension in his form fading away. “If I can do it, what makes you think you can’t?"

"That’s different, yoi!" Marco hissed.

"How so?" And Marco found himself speechless. How was it different? His Ace had become Second Division Commander too, a few months after he joined, and his family had been perfectly fine with it. How was the situation with this Ace any different? His family had accepted him as First Division Commander too, back when he had been an inexperienced teen who’d only been on the ship as an apprentice. How was this situation any different from how it was with him back then?

Except it was, came the bitter thought, because this was not his Ace, and this was not his family. How could he take command over this crew, answering only to the new Oyaji, when he couldn't even bring himself to call them by name for fear that he would slip up and start treating them like his family they don’t remember being, bringing up experiences they don’t remember having?

"It's just different, yoi. It's not the same, yoi." He sighed in defeat, looking down. "It'll never be the same, yoi." He added under his breath bitterly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case of any possible confusion, the new Whitebeard Pirates only know Marco as this random stranger who popped in one day and was recruited by Whitebeard, is not a devil fruit user, but has a bit of skill with the sword and enough medical knowledge to be one of their ship's doctor, though Marco refused the position (so that no problems would arise should something happen to make him leave in the future).
> 
> With that said, enjoy (even though this story is constantly dishing out nothing but pain XD) and leave a review if possible!


	5. His Family

Marco shot up in the crow nest, his hair and clothes damp with sweat. His breathing laboured, he frantically reached up to clutch at his chest, where his mark remained etched permanently into his skin. It had been so long since his last nightmare that he had almost forgotten what it felt like.

Back when he had been alone, away from even the reincarnations of his family, he had nightmares almost every time he slept, to the point he once avoided sleeping for a month. But ever since joining the new Whitebeard Pirates, the nightmares had been absent, until now. With how his crew have started to act so strangely similarly to his family recently, along with them pestering for him to take the position of the First Division Commander despite his repeated refusals, he was not surprised the nightmares came back alongside his memories and the insatiable yearning for his family that came with it.

He drew deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He could still hear the cries and screams, feel the fear and despair, see the ruined battlefield, littered with bodies, among which was a teen with a large hole in his chest and a large man who remained standing even in death.

And this time, it wasn’t just them he recognised. Pieces of ice were all that remained of a man almost as large as Whitebeard. The hole-riddled body of broad-chested man with a curly black moustache. Cut up chunks of flesh that had once been a short little prankster running around the deck of the Moby Dick. The Moby Dick itself, which was now just a pile of ashes sinking into the ocean.

Out of everyone, Marco had been the only one to survive thanks to his devil fruit. Left standing all alone in the battlefield, the bodies of his family and unnamed Marines alike strewn around him, the smell of gunpowder and blood still swirling around in the air, Marco felt the last thread of his sanity snap.

 _“I couldn’t save them. I’m sorry. I couldn’t save them. I’m sorry. I couldn’t save them. I’m sorry.”_ It was the only sound that echoed throughout the battlefield, over and over again, without an end.

Just like his life.

He could stand there for years. It wouldn’t matter to him.

He would not need to eat, drink or sleep. It wouldn’t kill him.

Immortality came with a heavy price, and the cost was his family’s lives. While his family continued to die and be reborn, he was forced to watch, unable to do anything about it. Just watching, as they fell prey to Death over and over again. Just watching, as they were reborn over and over again. Just watching, as they lived through Life once again, with no memories of their past lives and the people they’ve met.

Just watching.

Over and over again.

Without an end.

Marco felt the coldness creeping up on his skin, and the numbness and tingling coming over him. His heart pounded loudly and painfully in his chest, and the world seemed to spin around him. His breathing picked up again, but each breath was heavy, and he just could not catch his breath. _Hyperventilation_ , the doctor in him supplied.

The phoenix within him did nothing but screech piercingly, and he had burst into blue flames at some point, lighting the room up in an azure blue glow with flickers of gold. He was screaming, yet no sound was produced from his mouth. In the silence of the night, he could hear the muffled sounds of clothes being torn apart and flesh being ripped up.

And then it all stopped, mere seconds later. It was like time had been frozen. The chaos that had reigned within him suddenly fell into an eerie calm. Marco blinked once, and then twice. Slowly, he looked down with a blank stare. His bloodied hands were resting on the mark on his chest, nails already digging into the skin. The haze in his eyes cleared as he blinked again, before letting his hands fall back to his side limply. Instantly, his blue flames swept over the wounds on his body eagerly, leaving no indication of any injury in their wake. He kept his eyes peeled as the flames swept over his chest, and sure enough, as soon as the flames died down, his mark was back again, unmarred.

Releasing a sigh of relief, he surveyed the room. The button up he wore to sleep had been reduced to tatters, exposing his mark. There was a small puddle of blood at his feet, but nothing more than that. The damage was small compared to his previous fits. Was it due to the short duration of it? Was it because his environment was different? Because this time, he was on a replica of the Moby Dick, with the reincarnations of his family all around him, instead of the solitude he had grown so used to over the centuries? Perhaps. He didn’t allow himself to dwell on it longer, sneaking out to clean up the mess and get another one of his button ups, silently hoping that he didn’t wake any of the others.

* * *

"Marco.” Marco looked up at Whitebeard as Whitebeard gestured to him from his chair. Curiously, Marco walked over to him.

“You called for me, yoi?” Whitebeard nodded.

“Did something happen last night?” _Shit._ Marco shoved his hands into his pockets and tried to look nonchalant.

“Not that I know of, yoi.” He ignored Whitebeard’s gaze on him. “Why do you ask, yoi?”

“Nothing much. I’m sure you’re aware that Kenbunshoku Haki can be used to sense not just people’s presence, but also their intentions, as well as their emotions?” Marco nodded, as Whitebeard continued. “I usually keep my Kenbunshoku Haki active even when I’m asleep.” He paused and laughed fondly. “Gurarara, I had to, since Ace kept trying to attack me whenever he could when he first joined.” Marco’s heart skipped a beat. _Oh, this Ace must’ve tried to kill Whitebeard before he joined too, yoi,_ he smothered his hopeful longing once again before it could even surface. “Last night, I felt a wave of emotions so strong and so intense that it even woke all of the Division Commanders up, all of whom are capable of Kenbunshoku Haki but do not use it in sleep. So I was just wondering if you know what might be the cause of it.”

“I didn’t feel anything last night, yoi. I was asleep the whole time, yoi.” He lied. “Have you tried asking any of the others, yoi?” Whitebeard shook his head.

“No. Many of my sons have not yet unlocked Haki, and some are not even aware of it. Other than the Division Commanders and a selected few, nobody else woke up. So I see no need to cause them unnecessary worry.” Marco furrowed his brows.

“So why did you ask me, yoi? You don’t even know if I have Haki or not, yoi.”

“Because you will need to be informed of such matters in the future as my First Division Commander.”

“What,” Marco stared, wide-eyed, at Whitebeard. “did you just say, yoi?”

“I’m making you my First Division Commander.” Whitebeard repeated effortlessly with an amused grin.

“What- No! You can’t just decide something like that, yoi!” Marco protested.

“We asked everyone. They all agreed that you should be the First Division Commander.” At the voice he knew so well, his head snapped over to see the sight of Ace, along with the other Division Commanders, walking up to them. They came to stop next to Whitebeard, spreading out on either side of him. It looked like a whole complete family picture, but somehow seemed to be missing something at the same time. _Or someone._ Marco cursed under his breath as he shoved that hopeful little voice back where it belonged in the very back of his mind.

“In fact, they insisted on making you the First Division Commander as soon as possible.” Thatch added with a laugh. “I honestly think they just don’t want to handle the paperwork anymore.”

“So you’re just going to dump it all on me, yoi? I don’t want to handle paperwork either, yoi.” Marco huffed, crossing his arms. “And besides, why are you guys so insistent on making me the First Division Commander, yoi? Being the First Division Commander essentially puts me above everyone else, yoi. I’m literally going to be ranked just below,” Marco gestured to Whitebeard, trying to find the right term. “the captain, yoi. Me, who’s only been in this crew for a few weeks, yoi. I will be playing the role of pretty much the first mate and handling all that (even as annoying as it is) important paperwork, yoi. Wouldn’t someone else who’s been on the crew longer be more trusted to handle something so important and confidential, yoi?” Simultaneously, the same dark look he’d seen before on Ace’s face came over all of them.

“We’ve learnt from experience that anyone can be a traitor, even someone who’s been on the crew for decades and had been thought to be a trusted brother.” Thatch spat with nothing but pure hatred in his voice, the same hatred being reflected in all of their eyes. Their words and the resentment in their expressions reminded Marco of Teach’s betrayal, and unconsciously, his face contorted in anger.

“So what makes me any different, yoi?” Marco buried the infuriating thoughts of that traitor into the very depths of his mind and forced himself to focus on the conversation at hand. “How are you so sure that I won’t betray you, yoi?”

“Will you?” Whitebeard questioned, but the tone of his voice and the way he looked at Marco implied that he already knew the answer. Marco suppressed the urge to fidget. The way Whitebeard and the other Division Commanders carried themselves around him screamed nothing but absolute trust. They didn’t just know he can be trusted; they’re **sure** of it and already trust him wholeheartedly.

“No.” Marco closed his eyes, keeping silent for a while, before opening them again as he raised his head to meet Whitebeard’s eyes. "But I still can’t be your First Division Commander, yoi." His voice was soft as he spoke, but his gaze was defiant.

“Why not? Give us a reason, Marco.” Vista pressed.

“Because…” _You’re not my family, yoi._ Marco trailed off, fighting to keep his gaze steady. No, he couldn’t say something like that to them. They may just be their reincarnations, but they’re still the reincarnations of his family. It was clear they see and treat him as family, one of their own, even when they didn’t remember him or who they were in their past lives. He just couldn’t say something so cruel to them. It’d be like spitting in their faces and trampling on their love. “I just can’t, yoi.”

_Because they're not my family._

"Bullshit. Of course you can! You're our brother!" Marco's gaze wavered ever so slightly at Haruta's words.

_They're not my family._

"Why are you resisting it so much, Marco? Stop acting like a stranger! You're a part of our family!" Thatch complained. The tattoo on his chest seemed to burn, and as if reacting to the phantom pain, his flames flickered to life, albeit unnoticed by him.

_They're not my family._

"Give it up, Marco. You know how stubborn Oyaji can be when he sets his mind on something." Ace shot him a smirk and Marco forced himself to swallow the retort that came instinctively.

_They're not my family._

"Marco, my son." Marco flinched. He looked up at Whitebeard, who loomed over him at full height, but far from threatening, it was done as if to shield and protect him. It reminded him of the way **his** Oyaji would stand between them and an enemy. To the enemy, the way he loomed over them was a menacing threat and often enough to leave them shaking in their shoes. To his family though, they all saw it for what it was; he was shielding them, preventing the enemy from hurting his precious sons.

_They're not my-_

"Take your rightful position as First Division Commander and stand by my side again."

_No. They're not-_

"Be my voice of reason, and the pillar of support for this family."

_They. Are. No-_

"You're the final missing piece that we needed to complete this family, and I'm sorry we took so long to find you." Tears welled up in his eyes as he struggled to keep his voice steady.

“Stop it, yoi.” _Please._ He begged in his mind as he looked down, shoulders sagging along with his resolve. “Stop saying things like that, yoi.” Stop speaking the words that only **his family** should’ve known. It only makes his hopeful desire grow in vain.

“No, you needed to hear it, son.” Whitebeard remained firm. “Normally, I would not push the matter if you refuse. Regardless of your choice, you are my son. I am here to give you choices, to guide you towards a choice you will not regret. I want you to make a choice based on what you want, and not because of me. Even if your choice goes against what I would prefer, I will not think lesser of you, neither will I reject you for it. But this?” He narrowed his eyes at Marco. “You’re refusing, but it’s clearly not what you want. There’s an underlying reason for your refusal, and you’re listening to it, instead of following this.” He placed a fist to his chest where his heart is. “And I refuse to accept that. So, let me ask you again. Are you willing to once again take up the role of my right-hand man, Marco?” Marco doesn’t reply, but he can feel the eyes of his crew boring into him, filled with the same immense hope bubbling up within him. "What do you say, son?" He looked up to meet Whitebeard's gaze again, and nearly stumbled back at the affectionate fatherly look on his face, so **so** **_so_** extremely familiar. And the look of recognition in their eyes, along with the knowing smiles on their faces. The words they have spoken in their past life. Their familiar actions ever since he joined. Their ease with him from the very beginning. It hit Marco all at once.

**_They remember._ **

Despite how impossible it sounded, despite how long it had been.

**_They remember._ **

Somehow, one way or another. All this time.

**_They remember._ **

The tears were falling freely before he could stop it (not like he made any attempts to). His arms morphed into wings, taking him up into the air and straight into Whitebeard's chest. Whitebeard received him with open arms, wrapping him into a loving embrace, one he had missed and longed so much for.

“I…I accept, yoi. Oyaji...” He choked up, revelling in the way Whitebeard's chest vibrated as his laughter crept out of his throat in a low rumble.

"Gurarara, I really missed hearing that from you, my son." The words, spoken so affectionately, only served to elicit another choked sob from the Phoenix.

"Oyaji... Oyaji... Oyaji!"

"You're home now, Marco. You're finally home now, son." His father said, ever so fondly, patting his back comfortingly.

"Welcome home, Marco!" His brothers chorused, their voices warm and accepting as they crowded around the pair, arms slung over one another’s shoulders in a tight-knitted group hug.

They **are** his family.

And he was truly, **truly** , home again.

"I'm home, yoi."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I confuse you in the previous chapter? Sorry not sorry, it was intentional :P Yes, the Whitebeard Pirates do remember him, and he's back home with his family now!
> 
> But wait, it's not the end yet, there's actually more! I have a few more chapters that I wrote for fun (after so much pain XD), about a few things behind the scenes. Some of the questions you might have will (hopefully) be explained then!
> 
> So for now, enjoy, look forward to future chapters, and reviews are always welcomed!


	6. Bringing Family back Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a WARNING ahead of time! From this chapter onwards, it will contain a lot of MY interpretation of what happens after life, death and rebirth, etc. You may not agree with it, and maybe some parts of it might not make sense. But still, I hope that you guys will continue to enjoy this story!
> 
> Also, I'm sorry for the long wait! I had some personal problems, but all that's solved now, so hopefully my future updates won't take so long like this! To make up for it, I made this chapter extra long, depicting the Whitebeard Pirates' side of the story! Enjoy!

“Hey, it’s Izo!” Izo had lived to a ripe old age and passed away peacefully. When he woke up the first time, he was greeted with the excited voices of brothers who had left before him, and the sight of his dead family brought him to tears. The sight of Whitebeard, Ace, and Thatch smiling fondly at him only made the tears fall harder.

“Hey, missed us, Izo?” Thatch asked, giving the crossdresser a hug, which he gladly accepted.

“I missed even your pranks, Thatch.” Izo admitted, listening to Thatch’s laughter.

“Now all that’s left is Marco.” Ace smirked. “Can’t wait to see that turkey again.”

“Me too! It’s been so long since we were all together like this!” Thatch agreed cheerfully.

“It’s really been a long time.” Izo smiled fondly. “The last time we were all together was the Marineford War, and we lost Thatch even before that.” Their mood soured at the memory of the war.

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Ace sighed, making Izo shake his head.

“We don’t blame you for anything, Ace. Oyaji was prepared to die there, and we would’ve come for any of our own. It doesn’t matter if you’re Roger’s son. Once you joined this crew, you’re Oyaji’s son, and that’s that. Of course we would’ve come for you, our brother.” He gave Ace a comforting pat, and Ace returned the gesture with a smile.

“I guess. Really, thanks.” Izo just smiled before a yell caught his attention.

“Hey, Izo! I wanna ask you something!” Haruta ran up to him. “Did you see Marco at all after the War? I kept tabs on everyone after we split, but I lost track of him after he disappeared from Sphinx.”

“I did.” Izo nodded. “He was with me in Wano Kingdom.” Haruta brightened up.

“So that’s where he went! And? Where did he go afterwards?” Izo frowned.

“About that…”

“What’s wrong, son? Did something happen to Marco?” Whitebeard asked, concerned.

“I honestly don’t know, Oyaji.” Izo admitted. “I lost him after Wano Kingdom.”

“Damn.” Haruta muttered under his breath. “That worries me. I was able to keep track of everyone up til I died, but Marco’s the only one I could never seem to find. It’s like he disappeared off the earth or something!” He complained.

“Let’s just wait for him patiently, son.” Whitebeard said reassuringly. “I’m sure Marco will join us someday. And then, we can catch up with him.” His son promptly agreed with him and their attention was soon on Izo, excitedly asking about his adventures up til his death and sharing the tales of their own.

* * *

“Man, what’s taking Marco so long?” Thatch whined. “It’s been what, decades?! Just where is he?”

“Heck if I know.” Ace grumbled, crossing his arms. “Even Luffy and Sabo are here already!” He briefly glanced over to where Luffy was having fun with his crew, and he smiled at the sight of the wide grin on Luffy’s face as he ranted enthusiastically about something to Sabo and his crew, who listened intently with fond smiles on their faces.

“Actually, it’s strange.” Whitebeard mused. “Marco shouldn’t be able to live this long. It’s way past a human’s average lifespan.”

“Did we miss him then?!” Thatch screeched, leaping to his feet.

“It’s a possibility.” Whitebeard nodded. Thatch’s cry spread panic to the listening Whitebeard Pirates.

“We missed Marco?”

“No way! We were waiting here for nothing then?”

“What should we do?”

“Do you think he’s already reincarnated, Oyaji?” Vista looked up to Whitebeard, putting an end to the frantic murmurs as everyone turned their attention to their father, waiting for his instructions.

“It wouldn’t hurt to try. If we don’t find him, we’ll wait here for him again.” Whitebeard said. “We’ll all move on towards a new life together.” The Whitebeard Pirates cheered, pumping their fists into the air eagerly.

“Alright. Let’s split up to look for him then. We’ll exchange numbers as soon as we can, and keep in contact so we don’t all end up searching the same island.” Haruta suggested, receiving voiced agreements with the plan.

* * *

Whitebeard sighed. After his frustrating first Rebirth where he was admittedly unable to contribute much to the search, given his condition, he came back here again and had been waiting for his sons to join him ever since. He hoped that at least one of them would’ve found Marco and let him know they’d be waiting for him after Death. Yet, as his sons began to join him one by one with no news of Marco, he found it hard to continue holding onto hope.

“Oyaji! We found him!” The cry made everyone who was there perk up at the news as they gathered excitedly around the group that had just arrived, However, their joy was quickly replaced with concern.

“What’s the matter, son? Is it Marco?” Whitebeard asked worriedly.

“Oyaji…” His heart broke to see his sons’ stricken looks, awashed with tears. “He’s still alive, Oyaji!” Dread filled him at the thought that jumped to mind and the confirmation that he prayed would not come. “Marco… He’s been alive all this time!” The broken pieces of his heart crumbled into dust. He couldn’t believe what he’d just heard.

“What? What do you mean, he’s still alive?” Thatch demanded. “Nobody can live that long!”

“We saw him.” Haruta said. “I was heading towards Sphinx, and we chanced upon one another.” He gestured to Izo and Rakuyo. “We chatted for a while, and since Sphinx was along the way to their destinations, we stopped by to check on your grave, along with Ace’s grave, and we saw him there.” Tears welled up in Haruta’s eyes as he spoke, his voice soft. “He didn’t look a day older than when we last saw him at Marineford, Oyaji.”

“He didn’t even look any older from the last time I saw him at Wano.” Izo added. “In fact, he didn’t look any different at all. He looked **exactly** as he did all those years ago.” He remembered that moment, when they had seen the familiar silhouette of their brother. They had wondered how the reincarnation of their brother would look like, but when Marco moved over to Ace’s grace and they caught sight of his forlorn eyes and the loneliness so raw in them, they knew instantly with sinking hearts that Marco had never died.

“We tried to call out to him, but he was too far away to hear us.” Rakuyo continued. “We couldn’t catch up to him in time, and he flew away in his Phoenix form, so either he found his ultra-rare mythical zoan devil fruit again in that short period of time, or he’s just never died. Even if we hadn’t seen him use his devil fruit, we saw the state of the graves after he left. He was evidently paying his respects, so whatever the case, whether he actually died or not, he definitely remembers us and he’s all by himself.” Whitebeard frowned and looked to his sons, who faced him expectantly.

“We’re going back to find Marco.” He announced. “We are not leaving anyone behind, and we are not letting anyone feel left behind.” His decision was met with cheers of agreement.

* * *

They could always sense him. Sometimes, as they wandered around in their search for him, they could sense him, and the sadness and loneliness that seemed to radiate off him. But every time they turned around, there would be nobody there and his presence would have disappeared.

To be immortal means to watch those you know and care about die, unable to join them in death, and then seeing them after they are reborn only to have to watch them die again once more. They know it hurts Marco. They could tell from the growing sorrow they felt every time they picked up on his Haki presence. But even so, they just couldn’t leave him behind, and so, they kept coming back.

* * *

“Hey, Haruta! You’re at Cozia, right?” Haruta smiled at hearing Thatch’s voice from the Den Den Mushi.

“Yeah, I just reached yesterday. This place is huge.” Thatch’s grin was reflected on the Den Den Mushi.

“Want some help? I’ll be making a pit stop there in a few hours!” Haruta couldn’t help the grin growing on his face at the thought of seeing his brother alive for the first time since their countless rebirths.

“Sure! Meet you at the port in a few hours!”

“I’ll call when I reach!” Thatch said before hanging up.

True to his words, the Den Den Mushi rang a few hours later, and Haruta raced to the port excitedly.

“Thatch!”

“Haruta!” They ran right into each other, laughing as they rubbed the sore spot on their foreheads. “Ow, ok, let’s not make greeting with headbutts a thing.” Thatch joked, making them both laugh.

“I agree.” Haruta chuckled. “Any news from your division?” Thatch shook his head, his smile fading.

“Not a single one. You?”

“None.” Haruta shook his head as well, clicking his tongue. “Damn. I just checked in with Izo not long ago. He doesn’t have any news either. I hope at least Oyaji or Ace would’ve gotten some news when I check in on them in a few days’ time.”

“Me too.” Thatch agreed. “So, how are we splitting this? Can I take the mountains? I wanna go scout for some ingredients while I’m at it.” Haruta nodded.

“I’ll take the city then. Let’s meet up here by nightfall.” With the meeting time and point set, the two split up, walking in opposite directions towards their search area. As they walked away, neither noticed the flaming blue bird landing softly on a roof nearby, shaking its head as it took in the sight of the two brothers who were so close to meeting, but instead passed each other by. Perched on the roof, the bird watched the backs of its brothers from a distance as they walked further and further away before disappearing from sight. It mused sadly about how its family were fated to never meet again after rebirth before spreading its wings and flying away.

* * *

It was just a coincidence, that they would all be reborn so similarly to their first life. They were the correct ages. Not having any illness and defects was a bonus. Finding their devil fruits again was another bonus. With everything in place and feeling so right, they decided that it was time to set sail as a family once again, and find their lost brother to complete the set.

Though they probably had a better chance at finding their lost brother separately, split up, nobody wanted to pass the opportunity to sail together again after so long. Just for this life, with this rare coincidence of being reborn into a life so eerily similar to their first lives, just this once, they will search for him together, as one big family.

Too eager to wait any longer, Whitebeard set sail as soon as Haruta called to tell him everyone’s location, and began gathering his sons from all over the world, who were all excitedly anticipating his arrival. They boarded his ship without any hesitation, and even gathered a few new members along the way.

Each Division Commander took up their positions as Division Commanders as soon as they joined, and everybody else joined their old divisions, while new members were assigned to new divisions. Meanwhile, the First Division Commander seat was left empty. Everybody agreed that the position rightfully belongs to Marco, and no one else.

“Do you think Marco might’ve forgotten us over the years?” It was a question that haunted them every time they were reborn. It has already been so long. What if when they meet Marco again, Marco no longer remembers them? What if the Marco they meet isn’t the same Marco they remember? Would he have been driven mad with loneliness?

“We’ll know when we find him.” Was all Whitebeard could say in reply. Thatch just nodded silently and faced the sea.

“I hope we manage to find him soon.” They have to find Marco soon. They have to let Marco know that he isn’t alone. If they couldn’t find him in this life, they’ll just have to continue their search in their next. Over and over again, no matter how long it takes, they will definitely find him again.

Maybe if they cause problems everywhere, he'll get mixed up in it. Maybe if they get their names on the newspaper enough, he'll see it. Maybe if they spread their influence enough, he'll learn about them.

Maybe.

Just maybe.

But maybe…

…he'll remember them and come home.

* * *

“No way!” Ace ran out on the deck with Vista and Fossa stomping after him, much to Whitebeard’s curiosity.

“Well, we don’t have a First Division Commander, so you’ll have to do it as the Second Division Commander!”

“Hell no! You know how much I hate doing paperwork, and it's not like I'm any good at it either!” Ace shouted. “Just dump it into Marco's room! He'll do it when we find him!"

“We can’t just keep dumping all the paperwork into Marco’s room, Ace! It’s already filled to the brim, and some of these are too important to be left for later! Somebody’s gotta do it sooner or later!”

“So why me?” Ace whined as he bolted as soon as the pair came near.

“Because you’re the Second Division Commander, ranked just after the Marco!” The pair chorused loudly as they gave chase. Whitebeard sighed. Without a Commander to handle it, the paperwork for the First Division just kept piling up, and it was getting impossible to ignore it. Sure, he was the Captain, but he was only there to keep the family together. Marco had been the one running the crew, checking on the state of things and doing all the paperwork, preventing them from falling apart.

Grumbling under his breath, Whitebeard rose from his seat and gathered all of the Division Commanders. They spent the day reluctantly finishing all the neglected paperwork, leaving the more trivial matters to the members of the First Division who were more familiar with it, having helped Marco with paperwork before. As their vision continued to be swarmed with stacks after stacks of paperwork, they swear to appreciate Marco more when he comes back.

* * *

When Marco first lands on their deck, blue flames dissipating into thin air, it was so familiar to them that they hadn’t even thought to react at first. Just as the fact that their missing brother was here had finally registered in their minds though, the initial reaction of happiness was drowned out by Marco's words. They know he's never died. They can tell he remembers them. They can see it in his eyes that he hasn’t forgotten them. But why is their missing brother treating them like strangers?

Whitebeard was the first to react, quickly replying to Marco as if it was their first time meeting each other, and inviting Marco to join their family. While they nervously anticipated Marco’s answer, Whitebeard shared a look with his sons, silently ordering them to go with it.

While Haruta disappeared below deck to show the ‘newcomer’ around, Whitebeard gathered his sons on the deck. He urged them to wait, and not to force Marco. Let him come around on his own, while subtly trying to clue him in on the fact that they remember. They have to break it to him slowly, and help him ease into it before ensuring he knows for sure. Because this is Marco they are talking about, and he might flee in shock and disbelief if they just abruptly throw the news at him.

He’d nearly fled once before, when one of the nurses broke the news of Whitebeard’s illness to him and said way too bluntly that Whitebeard was basically going to die in a few years’ time, paired with his old age and all. It was so sudden and so shocking to him that he didn’t react at all at first, not even to the concerned calls of his brothers, not even to Whitebeard calling out to him. And then, when he _did_ react, he morphed into full Phoenix form and shot up into the sky, screeching piercingly the entire time, unable to hear the yells of his family. He was only stopped thanks to the Gura Gura No Mi creating vibrations in the air that messed with his flight, causing him to fall into the ocean down below, and Namur had to fish him out after. (Must’ve been because of higher flight rather than fight instinct he has in him since he’s a bird, they used to joke.)

They agreed to treat him like a stranger for the time being, following Whitebeard’s orders, despite wanting nothing more than to launch themselves at Marco, suffocating him in a long-awaited family hug. None of them wants to risk losing their brother again after having searched fruitlessly for him for so long.

* * *

“Thatch?” Ace walked into the dark kitchen at night, hearing sniffles from a corner. Walking over, he saw Thatch curled up on the floor, crying into his knees.

“What's wrong, Thatch?” Ace asked, taking a seat next to the chef.

“...say to him.”

“What?” Ace frowned, straining his ears.

“I don't know what I can say to him.” Thatch repeated in a whimper.

“Marco?” Ace guessed as Thatch nodded, sniffling.

“It's been centuries since we last sailed together. I can't even imagine how Marco must've felt for all those years, all by himself...” Thatch choked back a sob. “I keep noticing every little detail, like how he eats my cooking like it's his first time eating it, or how he just watches me carry out my pranks like he's never seen it before.”

“I know what you mean.” Ace sighed. “The fleeting glances he gives us, the way he seems to be restraining himself...”

“All that pain and grief... Every time I activate my Kenbunshoku Haki, it's all I can sense from him.” Thatch sniffled. Ace nodded grimly.

“I know. Me too.”

“It hurts. It hurts to see him like this, and it hurts that we can't help him already.”

“I know.”

“I want to just hug him, and tell him that we're really here, that we remember him. I just want to let him know we're still his family, that he’s not alone like he thinks he is!” Ace let out a shaky breath, cursing the tears welling up in his eyes. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and nodded feebly.

“...I know.”

* * *

Their resolve doesn’t hold. Their patience ran thin with each passing day, and they began to quote more from their past lives. Ace impatiently threw Marco’s own words back at him when the chance arose, but when that didn’t work, he retreated into his room, fuming and cursing under his breath. Thatch and Izo even re-enacted one of their pranks in hopes that Marco would slip up, but it was to no avail. They could see the confusion on Marco’s face every time they referenced something from their first life, and many times, they were anxious of whether they had crossed the line and Marco would disappear the next day. But Marco never left, so they kept trying to get him to realise that they remember him.

Ace was the first to suggest making him the First Division Commander. He jokingly complained that it was because he didn’t want to have to do the paperwork when it piles up again, but they knew that in truth, it was because of Marco’s fleeting glances to what would’ve been his room, and the way he always seemed restless whenever he watches the Division Commanders disappear into the meeting room with Whitebeard for a meeting, and so on. Adding on to how uncomfortable he seemed every time he had to hold back old habits, they decided that giving that position back to Marco might help speed things along.

They certainly hadn’t expected Marco to refuse the position. While they were stressing over it, wondering what they should do now, Whitebeard surprised them by suggesting them to bring it up to him again. Normally, if one were to refuse, Whitebeard would’ve respected their choice and left it at that. It wasn’t like him to push when the other clearly said they didn’t want it. But Whitebeard assured them that it would be fine, that Marco wasn’t being honest to himself when he refused. And they believed him readily, because Marco could hide his feelings all he wants, but Whitebeard has always been able to read him like an open book regardless.

* * *

It's not until the night when an intense wave of emotions washes over the Moby Dick, waking up Whitebeard and the 15 Division Commanders, that they decided enough was enough. The wave surges through them and they are hit with so many intense feelings mixed together.

Sorrow, loneliness, yearning, grief–

 **Grief**.

Pure, raw, unadulterated **_Grief_**.

They're curled up in a fetal position, in tears, before they even realise it. It came to a sudden stop, and for a fleeting moment, the fear of their brother being dead, possibly having killed himself (did he perhaps jump into the ocean?), as the reason for the abrupt stop to the wave struck them, though a quick sweep with their Kenbunshoku Haki allayed that fear.

“Did you feel that?” Ace asked as he stepped out of his room and saw Thatch coming out of his room. Thatch turned to him and nodded solemnly. All around them, the other Division Commanders exited their rooms one by one, each wearing an expression on their faces which showed that they had evidently felt the wave too, and had been woken up by it. In an almost zombie-like manner, they trudged towards Whitebeard’s room, entering to find the old man awake. His expression matched theirs, and they all plopped tiredly down onto his bed or onto the floor.

“We all felt that.” Ace whispered with a shudder. “It was so intense.”

“Same.” Thatch sighed loudly. “What now? We can’t possibly keep up this pretence forever, and especially not after that.”

“Isn’t it obvious? We have to come clean to him.” Haruta said, wiping tears from his eyes.

“I’m in on that.” Izo said, frowning. “I won’t be able to hide it anymore, not after that, and I don’t think any of you will be able to either.” Monotonous agreements were muttered among them.

“Tomorrow.” Whitebeard nodded. “We let him know tomorrow. No more waiting, no more hiding.” Screw waiting. Screw the possibility of Marco fleeing. Screw it all. More than anything else, their brother needed his family back.

Right. **Now.**


	7. Never Forgotten

“So…you really remember your first life, yoi?”

“And every life we were reborn into after that, son.” Whitebeard confirmed with a nod.

“I even remember the times when **I** was the younger brother of Luffy, and I tell you, he hasn’t changed one bit!” Ace complained, before a fond smile came over him. “He chose to forget, you know. Said it would be a brand-new adventure. That’s just like him.” Marco nodded along, agreeing.

“We, on the other hand, have never forgotten. Not even once.” Thatch said. “One of us is still alive, wandering the earth all alone. How did you expect us to just forget you and move on to a fresh new life?”

“We made new memories, but we have never forgotten you.” Haruta said, meeting Marco’s hesitant gaze with a firm gaze of his own. “We were looking for you all this time.”

“After all, we’re a family, and family means nobody gets left behind.” Izo added. Marco didn’t reply. Having his family back again, and finding out that they’ve been coming back to this world repeatedly just to find him again, it all still felt so surreal to him.

“Sabo never forgot either, you know.” Ace spoke suddenly, making Marco look to him in surprise. “He wasn’t able to recover from his amnesia until it was too late, and he regretted that, even after he died and saw me again. As long as I remember, he never wanted to forget ever again, he said.” He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. “He and I talked a lot. I told him about the loving family I cared for who accepted me for me, and he told me about the broken family I left behind after my death.” Marco looked away.

“I see, yoi.”

“Did you realise that Stephan didn’t forget you either, son?” Whitebeard asked.

“He didn’t, yoi? How can you tell, Oyaji?”

“Gurarara! He wouldn’t have looked so disappointed upon entering your room to find it empty otherwise, son! I caught him sniffing around the ship at places where you’d usually be so many times. He wouldn’t have known that if he had forgotten, would he? He may be a dog, but he’s part of our family too, and even he knows that we can’t move on with you missing.” He chuckled affectionately. “I met him when I was first reborn too. He was supposedly a normally calm dog, but his owners said he went crazy when he saw me and jumped around me like a puppy.” Marco gulped, the painful memory of that day on the cliff flashing through his mind. He decided to remain silent, swallowing the question that his mind was screaming.

_So why did you not recognise me, yoi?_

“I knew then that Stephan remembered me, so I convinced them to let me take him with me. They agreed, and Stephan came with me as my guide dog.” Marco froze. What?

“Wait, guide dog, yoi?”

“Did I not mention it? I was blind in that life.” He gaped at Whitebeard, eyes wide in shock, not believing what he just heard. “Well, to be more accurate, I was so severely near-sighted to the point of being almost blind. Couldn’t even see my own hand in front of me clearly. Having Stephan as my guide dog was really helpful. I rarely needed my Kenbunshoku Haki after getting him. He had his shortcomings though.” Whitebeard gave a short laugh as he reached down to pet the little white dog at his feet. “He kept getting distracted by passing people, or chasing random birds. There was a time he managed to do both, when we were sitting at the edge of a cliff. He suddenly got up and started barking at something. I heard the sound of flapping wings, so I knew it was a bird. I chided him, and he stopped barking, but still didn’t come back. I turned around and there he was, a white blur running around what I assumed was a human.” He frowned. “But then again, that shape didn’t move when I apologised for Stephan bothering them, and not even when we walked away after that, so it might’ve just been a tree shaped somewhat like a human for all I know. I honestly have no idea, being almost blind was annoying like that.” He huffed. “Thankfully, I was never reborn blind again. Even being bedridden was more bearable.”

“Is that so, yoi?” Marco couldn’t help the laugh that escaped his lips, ignoring the tears of relief stinging the corners of his eyes. He felt like a weight had lifted off his chest. Oyaji did remember him after all. He was just (literally) too blind to see that it was him. “Well, you sure had a memorable second life, Oyaji!”

“Memorable? Wait till you hear about mine!” Thatch scoffed. “Can you believe I was born without arms? That was a nightmare!”

“Hey, try being paralysed!” Haruta yelled. “You have no idea how much I ran around after that to make up for not moving for so long!”

“I was a woman once.” Izo said, pausing for a while before adding, “It was a rather interesting experience, actually.”

“Having an extra limb was interesting too.” Jozu mused. “Not an experience I’d like to revisit though. Once was quite enough.” Marco just laughed as everyone else joined in with fun stories of their various different Rebirths, all glad to see Marco laughing so carefreely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's why Whitebeard didn't recognise him after he was first reborn! Anyone saw it coming? XD It'd be boring if they are reborn completely healthy each time, after all ;)  
> Enjoy! I'll post the next chapter soon!


	8. Paperwork

Marco had been beyond happy – heck, he’d been **elated** to have his family back. With that revelation, he released the tight grip he kept on his feelings and behaviour all this time. So when he witnessed first-hand the state of things his family hadn’t bothered with while he was gone, the annoyance hit him full-force.

“Did you all seriously just dump all of the paperwork into my room, yoi?” He stared into his room, eyes twitching in irritation as he felt the beginning of the ever so familiar headache creeping in. “Am I supposed to sleep on paper now, yoi? It’s everywhere, yoi!” He really wished he was exaggerating, but he could not when literally all he could see was paper, paper, and more paper. Behind him, Ace and Thatch wore sheepish looks on their faces. Marco just sighed and shook his head. “Whatever, let’s go check the storage room first, yoi.”

“Well…” He really should’ve paid more attention to the wince that appeared on Thatch’s face and Ace averting his eyes.

“What is this, yoi?” That headache was quickly escalating into a migraine, Marco thought to himself as he took in the sight of the storage room before him with a deadpan look. “Those food have gone bad, and I can tell that we’re lacking in a few supplies at first glance alone, yoi. And when did we decide that COBWEBS were fantastic decorations, yoi?”

“We never really bothered with it…” Ace mumbled behind him.

“Yes, I can see that, Ace. Very clearly, in fact, yoi.” He sighed. “I’m afraid of what more I’ll find out, yoi.”

He was not wrong. All in all, by the time Marco had finished surveying the state of everything, he was left with so much paperwork that for the next few days, black and white were all that filled his vision. The thought of leaving so he didn’t have to deal with all this even briefly crossed his mind, but of course, he would always choose his family over everything else.

A rather unfortunate fact.

* * *

“Okay, on hindsight, that was a bad idea.” Thatch admitted to the Phoenix in front of him, arms crossed.

“What else, yoi?”

“We’re sorry?” Haruta grinned sheepishly.

“We won’t do it again?” Ace added, matching his accomplices’ expression. Marco just sighed.

“Mess hall cleaning duty for a week, and I expect a report on all the damages you’ve caused with your pranks, yoi.” He said, before stomping off to his room, mentally adding another item to the list in his head for ‘paperwork to be filled in’.

* * *

“Oyaji, stop him!” Haruta whined. “He’s been in his room ever since he returned, and he hasn’t stepped out even once! Nobody has even seen him for DAYS! We’ve been scolding and nagging at him nearly 24/7, but he’s not listening to us!”

“I doubt Oyaji can do anything about it either, Haruta.” Izo said from beside Whitebeard’s chair.

“Why not? We all know that if there’s one person Marco would always listen to, it’d be Oyaji!”

“He already tried.” Ace grimaced. “Ended up making things worse, actually.” At Haruta’s questioning gaze, Vista stepped up.

“He sort of…added to the paperwork Marco’s dealing with.”

“ _How_?” Haruta asked, as Whitebeard sighed for what seemed like the umpteenth time. The rest of his brothers around Whitebeard just chuckled sheepishly, sharing looks.

“He attempted to squeeze into Marco’s room to make him even move from that spot…and ended up cracking the doorframe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the hold-up! I had a bit of error logging in on FF.net yesterday, and I didn't want to update only one site, so I had to delay this chapter!  
> Anyway, at this point, I'm writing these chapters from random ideas that pop to mind (Gonna leave this as a work in-progress in the meantime, until I'm sure I'm out of ideas to add), and this came up 2-3 days ago (but couldn't be posted thanks to the login error I faced >.>) It's a rather short chapter, but I hope you enjoy it!


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